Windmill.



No. ammo.

Patented May I4, l90l.

J. STEIN.

WINDMILL.

[Application filed Juiy 13, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.

m: wams PETERS co, wan-ammo. WASHINGTON. D c.

No. ammo. Patented May I4, 90!.

' J. STEIN.

WINDMILL.

(Applicatiqn filed July 13, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. 3] M r 1 I (222702 632170. I

r; Orrlon.

JOHN STEIN, OF FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS.

WINDIVHLL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 674,100, dated May 14,1901.

Application filed July 13, 1900. Serial No. 23,521. (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern:

Be it known that L JOHN STEIN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Fredericksburg, in the county of Gillespie and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Windmill, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates to improvements in windmills, and has forone object the production of a mill equipped with an automatic governorfor regulating the speed of the windmill and for preventing injury tothe apparatus by throwing the blades of the wheel into or out of thewind in a manner to secure the most effective operation of the device atall times.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the governormechanism that it may be adjusted for the purpose of equipping the wheelfor actuation under varying conditions, and a still further object is toproducea mill of simple and durable construction and having all of itsoperating parts, with the exception of the wheel, housed and protectedwithin the casing composed of separable sections designed to permitready access to the parts for the purpose of adjustment or repair.

To the accomplishment of the several objects stated the inventionconsists in the construction and arrangement of the parts herein to bedescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and defined in theappended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the windmillcomplete, the lower portion of the tower and the lower end of themill-shaft or pump-rod being broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken at right angles to the line of section of Fig. 1 and in the planeof the mill shaft. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion ofthe wind-wheel, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of thegovernor-lever.

Referring to the numerals of reference indicating like parts in each ofthe views, 1 indicates the mill-tower, which sustains an elongatedbearing-sleeve 2, within which is received a reciprocatory hollowblade-actuating shaft 3, having weights 4 suspended from its lower endand provided at its upper end with a fixed collar 5. The bearing-sleeve2,

which is of course a relatively-fixed part, serves as a support for apair of vertical bearing-arms 6, connected adjacent to their lower endsby a pair of bearing-sleeves 6 and 6 designed to support the arms in amanner to permit them to revolve around the axis of the sleeve 2, saidsleeves being confined be tween annular flanges 6 and 6 upon the sleeve2. These arms 6 are provided at their upper ends with bearing-boxes 7for the reception of the revoluble hollow wheel-shaft 8, to which arekeyed or otherwise secured the hub 9 of the wind-wheel and a beveledpinion l(). The pinion 10 is keyed upon the wheel-shaft at a pointintermediate of the bearing-boxes 7 and is intermeshod with a similarpinion ll, keyed upon the upper end of the mill-shaft or pump-r0d 12.The shaft 12 has a bearingin ahorizontalbearing-plate 13, carriedbetween the arms 6 just below the pinion l1,and has an extended bearingwith in the hollow blade-actuating shaft 3,through which it extends to apoint at the bottom of the tower, where said shaft or pump-rod isdesigned to be operatively connected with .pumping or other machinery.The windwheel, which is carried by and actuates the hollow wheel-shaft8, is composed of a number of radial spokes let, extending from the hub19 and supporting a rim at the ends of the spokes and a blade-carryingband or flange 16,supported upon shoulders 17,formed in the rear sidesof the spokes 14 at points between the hub and the rim 15, but somewhatnearer the former.

Atsuitable intervals upon the rim 15 are provided rearwardly-extendingblade-supporting arms 18, corresponding in number to the blades 19,which latter are provided upon their front faces with bearing-ears forpivotal connection with the rear ends of the arms 18. At their innerends each of the blades 19 is provided with a short blade-shaft 21,extending through the blade-carrying flange 16 and retained in place inany suitable manner, but preferably by nuts 22,

ous operation of the several blades when thrown into or out of the windeach of the blade-shafts 21 is provided with a radiallyextendingblade-arm 23, said arms being pivotally connected to the rear ends of aseries of actuator-arms 24, extending rearwardly from What may be termedthe blade-actuator 25. The actuator 25 is in the form of a circular rimsupported at the ends of radial spokes 26, springing from a hub 27,mounted to slide upon the end of the hollow wheelshaft 8 in front of thewheel. Obviously as the hub 27 of the actuator is moved in one directionor the other the actuator-arms 24 will swing the blade-arms 23 and willturn the blades 19 into or out of the wind, as the case may be.Ordinarily the blades are designed to be held into the wind by themaintenance of the actuator in its forward position, as shown in Fig. 1of the drawings. To accomplish this end,a reciprocatory governorrod 28is passed through the hollow wheelshaft 8 and has its front end extendedinto the actuator-hub 27 and attached thereto in a manner to cause thereciprocation of the hub upon the front end of the wheel-shaft as thegovernor-rod 28 is moved longitudinally in one direction or the other.At its opposite or rear end the rod 28 is provided with a head 29,retained within a stuffingbox 30, formed at the upper end of one arm 31of a bell-crank governor-lever fulcrumed upon a stud 32, extending fromone of the arms 6. At the end of the other arm 32 of the lever, which ispreferably of double form, are mou uted a pair of antifrictional rollersor disks 33, disposed directly under the collar 5 upon theblade-actuating shaft 3. Assuming the shaft 3 to be weighted, as stated,the collar 5, car-' ried at its upper-end, will depress the arm 32 ofthe lever and will cause the arm 31 to be swung forward to operate thegovernor-rod 28 for the purpose of reciprocating the bladeactuator in adirection to throw the blades into the wind. If, however, the wind hasattained at greater velocity than is contemplated by the resistanceopposed by the weights t, the blades will be automatically turned out ofthe wind, which will force the actuator rearwardly, reciprocating therod 28, oscillating the governor-lever, and causing the blade-operatingshaft 3 to be raised to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1against the resistance of the weights 4.

For the purpose of cushioning the movement of the parts and to insurethe oscillation of the lever to retract the actuator when the shaft 3 iselevated for the purpose of throwing the wind-wheel out of gear Iconnect one end of a cable 34 with a cross-bar 35, carried by thelever-arm 32, and after passing said cable around a pulley 36, supported at the under side of the plate 13, a

. weight 37 is suspended from its opposite end.

The weight 37 exerts a constant force, tending to oscillate the leverand to throw the wheel-blades out of the wind; but ordinarily thistendency is overbalanced by the weight of theblade-operating shaft 3 andthe superior-Weights 4, connected to the lower end thereof. For thepurpose of operating the shaft 3 to release the governor-lever when itis desired to throw the mill out of operation I provide a lever 38,fulcrumed upon a bracket depending from the platform of the tower andhaving a bifurcated end connected through pitmen 39 with the shaft 3. Ifdesired, the opposite end of the lever 38 may be connected to a cable40, extending downwardly to within reach of an operator standing uponthe ground, apull upon said cable serving to elevate the hollow shaft 3to release the governor-lever and permit the weight 37 to oscillate thelever, and thereby effect sufficient movement of the actuator to throwthe wheel-blade out of the wind For the purpose of protecting themechanism located at the rear end of the wheel-shaft walls at theirouter extremities, which practically convert the blades into pocketsdesigned to more effectually receive theimpact of the wind.

The operation of mydevice is as follows: The wind striking against thetail-vane 42 will rotate the frame composed of the arms and housing uponthe bearing-sleeve2 and will present the wind-wheel squarely before thewind. The superiority of the weights 4; over the somewhat-smallercounterweight 37 will hold the blade-actuator in its forward positionand will consequently present the wheel-blades effectually before thewind. If at any time it is desired to throw the wheel out of the Windfor the purpose of discontinuing the operation of the mill, it is simplynecessary to exert a pull upon the cable 40, which will cause theblade-actuating shaft'3 to be raised to remove the collar 5 out ofeffective proximity to the governorlever. The

counterweight 37 will now cause the governorlever to be oscillated,retracting the governorrod 28 and removing the actuator 25 and swingingthe blades 19 into positions edgewise to the wind. If, however, duringthe operation of the mill the wind attains a velocity which endangersthe integrity of the working parts of the mill, the blades will beforced back against the resistance opposed by the weights 4:, it beingobvious that the mill may be set for automatic regulation at any desiredspeed by adding to or taking from the weights 4 in an obvious manner.

Attention may be called to the fact that the weight 37 takes up all playin the connections of the operative parts and constantly urges therollers 33 against. the collar 5 to take up the end play of theblade-actuating shaft 3 when the blades are out of the wind.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have produced a simple,durable, and efficient windmill comprehending mechanism by means ofwhich the various objects stated may be accomplished; but while thepresent embodiment of my invention appears at this time to be preferableI wish to reserve the right to effect such structural changes andvariations as may be desired by the skilled constructor and which may becomprehended within the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is 1. In a windmill, the combination with a wheelcomprising a series of individuallymovable blades, an actuator common tothe several blades, and a governor-rod connected to the actuator, of agovernor-lever connected to said rod, means for urging said levertothrow the blades out of the wind, and a weighted blade'actnating shafthaving a projection disposed across the path of movement of said leverto hold the blades into the wind by preventing the actuation of thegovernor-lever.

2. In a windmill, the combination with a wheel comprising a hollow shaftand a series of individually-movable blades, of an actuator com mon tothe several blades and slidably supported upon the wheel-shaft, agovernorrod connected to the actuator and extended through thewheel-shaft-,a weighted bell-crank lever connected to the governor-rodat the end opposite the actuator, and a weighted bladeactuating shaftprovided with a collar disposed directly across the path of movement ofthe bell-crank lever to hold the blades in the wind by preventing theactuation of the governor-lever.

3. In a windmill, the combination with a wheel comprising a series ofindividuallymovable blades, of a hollow Wheel-shaft, an actuator commonto the several blades, a gov-- ernor-rod extending through thewheel-shaft and connected to the actuator, a mill-shaft geared to thewheel-shaft, a weighted bellcrank lever connected to the governor-rod,and a hollow blade-actuating shaft encircling the mill-shaft andoperatively connected with the bell-crank lever.

4. In a windmill, the combination with a tower and elongatedbearing-sleeve, of a supporting-frame rotatably mounted upon saidsleeve, a weighted blade-actuating shaft movable within the sleeve, anda mill-shaft extending through the blade-actuating shaft, of a hollowwheel-shaft journaled in the bearing-frame, a wheel mounted upon saidshaft and provided with individually movable blades, an actuatorslidably mounted upon the hollow wheel-shaft beyond the wheel andoperatively connected with the several blades,-

a governor-rod connected to the actuator and extended through the wheel-shaft, gearing intermediate of the wheel shaft and millshaft, abell-crank governor-lever pivoted upon the bearing-frame and connectedat one end to the extremity of the governor-rod, an adjustable weightexerting a constant tendency upon the governor-lever to throw the bladesout of the wind, means carried by the blade-actuating shaft arranged toobstruct the movement of the governor-lever, adjustable weights carriedby the blade-actuating shaft, and means for operating said shaft inopposition to its weights to effect the release of the governor-leverfor the purpose of permitting the blades to be thrown out of the wind.

5. In a windmill, the combination with a bearing-sleeve,supporting-frame and a wheel provided with a series ofindividuallymovable blades, of a wheel-shaft, an actuator common to theseveral blades, a governor-rod connected to the actuator, a mill-shaftgeared to the wheel-shaft, a weighted lever connected to thegovernor-rod, and a hollow blade-ad tuating shaft encircling themill-shaft and extending through the bearing-sleeve for operativeconnection with said lever.

6. In a windmill, the combination with a wheel comprising a series ofindividuallymovable blades, of a wheel-shaft, an actuator common to theseveral blades, a governor-rod connected to the actuator, a mill-shaftgeared to the wheel-shaft, a weighted lever connected to thegovernor-rod, a hollow blade-actuating shaft encircling the mill-shaft,and a collar carried by the blade-actuating shaft and disposed toobstruct the path of movement of the lever.

7. In a windmill, the combination with a wheel comprising a series ofindividuallymovable blades, of a wheel-shaft, an actuator common to theseveral blades, a governor-rod connected to the actuator, a mill-shaftgeared to the wheel-shaft, a bell-crank lever connected to thegovernor-rod, and a weighted blade actuating shaft encircling themillshaft and provided with a projection disposed above the horizontalend of the bell-crank lever.

8. In a windmill, the combination with a tower and a fixedbearing-sleeve, of a bearingframe rotatabl y carried by said sleeve,awheelshaft jonrnaled in the bearing-frame, a wheel carried by saidshaft, a mill-shaft geared to the wheel-shaft, governor mechanismsupported by the bearing-frame and operatively connected with the wheel,a blade-actuating shaft passed through the sleeve and connected to thegovernor mechanism, weights carried by said shaft below the sleeve, anda removable casing entirely inclosing the bearingframe, governormechanism and gearing, said blade-actuating shaft being hollow for thereception of the mill-shaft.

9. In a windmill, the combination with a tower and bear1ng-sleeve, of awheel, wheelshaft and governor mechanism in cooperative In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signaturein relation and mounted above the sleeve, a Weighted blade-actuatingmember passed through and below the sleeve and having operativeconnection With the governor mechanism above said sleeve and amill-shaft passing through the bladeactuating shaft and geared to thewhee1-shaft.

the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN STEIN.

